South Coast AVAs

The “South Coast” wine region encompasses 13 different specific AVAs across grape-growing regions in five counties of Southern California: Los Angeles, Orange, Riverside, San Bernardino, and San Diego.

The South Coast covers a large swathe of California in the southwest corner of the United States, extending from Ventura County on the west coast, down to San Diego County and the border of Mexico, and as far north as almost Bakersfield at the southern end of the Central Valley.

Antelope Valley of the California High Desert AVA

Established on 23 May 2011, the Antelope Valley of the California High Desert AVA is located, as its lengthy name suggests, in the California High Desert – is the dry, inland area to the north of Los Angeles. The AVA is near the Sierra Pelona Valley AVA and the Leona Valley AVA.

The Antelope Valley region is an east-facing valley, opening up to the Mojave Desert, with the Tehachapi Mountains to the north and west, and the San Gabriel Mountains, the Sierra Pelona Mountains, and Portal Ridge to the south.

The Antelope Valley AVA covers a substantial 665 square miles of the California High Desert in Los Angeles and Kern counties. Antelope Valley lies 70 miles inland from the Pacific coastline; Los Angeles’ famous Venice Beach, on the city’s western fringes, is the nearest point on the coast.

The Sierra Pelona Mountains prevent maritime influences reaching the valley and its vineyards, which rely on irrigation to combat the heat and dryness of the Mojave. The valley is definitively continental: summers are hot and dry, winters are cold and without snow.  Annual precipitation ranges from 4 inches to 9 inches annually, making irrigation essential for all Antelope Valley vineyards. What little Antelope Valley wine there is comes from vineyards in the AVA’s south and west, around Palmdale and Lancaster towns.

The land in the AVA’s northern corner is famously dry, and is not well known for its viticulture. A large salt pan to the east provides a naturally hard surface to use as a natural extension of the Edwards Air Force Base runway. Clearly, this part of the AVA is far from suitable for agriculture of any kind – not even the hardiest grape vines could bear fruit here.

Altitude is an important factor in the Antelope Valley terroir. Without the cooler temperatures found at increased elevation, the climate would probably never have been granted AVA status.   Diurnal temperature variation is high here, allowing the wines to retain a certain degree of balance and freshness on the palate. Vineyards in the hills benefit from their elevation above sea level.

Tempranillo, Zinfandel, Syrah and Viognier are the most successful grape varieties in this warm, dry terroir. Oenologists with an interest in warm-climate viticulture will be keeping a close eye on how these varieties perform, and how the Antelope Valley style develops in coming years.

Cucamonga Valley AVA

Established on 30 March 1995, the Cucamonga Valley AVA is in San Bernardino County. It is in the Cucamonga Valley region of the Pomona Valley, about 15 miles west of San Bernardino, in the eastern sprawl of Los Angeles.  The AVA covers the southern foothills of the imposing San Gabriel Mountain range and extends down to the Santa Ana River, which flows through the northwest corner of Riverside County.

Cucamonga Valley covers 109,400 acres, although with the proximity to the city of Los Angeles, small vineyards are now found nestled among houses, factories and airports.  Cucamonga Valley AVA is now the site of just a handful of vineyards producing old-vine Zinfandel and port-style wines in the middle of suburbia.

The climate here is Mediterranean with hot, dry summers and cool, wet winters. Temperatures regularly reach 104 Fahrenheit throughout the summer. The region is impacted by the Santa Anas winds, of which can reach up to 80 miles per hour. This is potentially detrimental throughout flowering and fruitset in the springtime. 

Cucamonga Valley is a warm climate for viniculture, with summer temperatures often exceeding 100 °F. The valley floor is sandy, alluvial soils. Pierce's disease has affected vines in the valley.  Soils in the hot, desert-like valley are rocky and sandy, allowing for excellent drainage. The lack of water in the soils and the heat of the region mean that the grapes produced by the vines are smaller than normal, with thicker skins and more-concentrated flavors. This leads to a typical Cucamonga Valley wine style that is big and bold with firm, ripe tannins.

Grape cultivation began in the Cucamonga Valley in 1838.  By 1917 the Cucamonga-Guasti vineyards spanned over 20,000 acres, and Secondo Guasti was advertising his vineyard as "The Largest in the World."  When Prohibition began in 1920, the Cucamonga Valley produced more wine grapes than Napa County and Sonoma County combined.

Less than 1,000 acres of vineyards remain, and these are under threat from the ongoing demand for land for development. A few hardy souls remain in the area producing rich, age-worthy wines made from Zinfandel, Mourvedre and Syrah and fortified wines made in the Sherry style. 

Leona Valley AVA

Established on 28 October 2008, Leona Valley AVA is in northeastern Los Angeles County, just 40 miles from downtown Los Angeles.  It is located in Leona Valley within the Sierra Pelona Mountains of Southern California.  The AVA includes the Leona Valley plus the adjacent hillsides of the Sierra Pelona around the valley floor as well as isolated hills in it, resulting in a total of 8,600 acres, or approximately 13.4-square-miles. 

Leona Valley is a long, narrow valley surrounded by the Angeles National Forest, in the northeastern corner of Los Angeles County about 50 miles inland from the Pacific Ocean and north of the Metropolitan Los Angeles area. This valley is separated from the Pacific Ocean by the San Gabriel Mountains to the south and the Santa Susana Mountains to the southwest. Portal Ridge on the northeast divides Leona Valley from the Antelope Valley and Mojave Desert.

The San Gabriel Mountains shield the valley from the Pacific’s influence, giving it a hot, dry climate that is suited to red-wine production. The high altitude of the valley approximately 3,000 feet above sea level, means that the area enjoys particularly cool evenings following these hot days. This diurnal temperature variation extends the growing season here, ensuring that ripeness and varietal character do not come at the expense of acidity. 

The geology of the area is very young alluvium surrounded by very old parent rock. These old rocks have weathered to clay, which is incorporated in the alluvial soils of the valley.  The valley's alluvial soils have been deposited by the nearby lakes of Elizabeth and Hughes and have a significant clay content from the erosion of the underlying rock. These soils are moderately free-draining and full of nutrients, ideal for quality grape growing.

Leona Valley is currently growing Sangiovese, Zinfandel, Cabernet Sauvignon, Cabernet Franc, Chardonnay, Petite Verdot, Pinot Noir, Syrah, and Malbec covering the French, Rhône, and Burgundy regions of grape varieties. Many grape varietals thrive thanks to the region's soil and balanced temperatures.

Malibu Coast AVA

Established on 17 July 2014, the Malibu Coast AVA is located in the Santa Monica Mountains of western Los Angeles County.  The appellation is 46 miles long and eight miles wide, rising from the Pacific Coast to an elevation of 3,111 feet. 

This viticultural area of about 45,000 acres lies between Ventura County and Los Angeles' Hollywood Hills. Despite its location on the edge of one of North America's largest cities, the area's mountainous landscape is largely free of urbanization. The AVA is also home to the two existing AVAs of Malibu-Newton Canyon and Saddle Rock Malibu.

The Santa Monica Mountains rise straight up out of the Pacific Ocean, giving a unique terroir in this part of California. Malibu Coast has a cooler micro-climate in comparison to the more sheltered inland areas, as cooling, fog-laden ocean breezes make their way through the mountains' numerous valleys. This is complemented by the bright Southern California sunlight, which is abundant on the south-facing hillsides and exacerbated by the reflective presence of the ocean.

Together, these two climatic influences offer up a good environment for grape growing, as warm afternoons are followed by colder nights and cool mornings. This kind of diurnal temperature shift helps to shut down sugar production overnight, slowing the ripening process. This allows the grapes to reach their full potential more slowly, while retaining vital acidity and leading to well-balanced, flavorsome wine.

Malibu Coast has a volcanic terroir, which is shot through with more sedimentary influences. Made up largely of slate, shale and sandstone, the soils in the hillside vineyards are often thin and stony, with good drainage and low fertility.

The dry, shallow soils warm quickly during the day, providing a thermal effect in the cooler evenings and help to prevent mildew infections. A water deficiency also decreases leafy canopy growth, allowing sunlight to penetrate through and aid the ripening process of grapes and keep the canopy conditions dry. 

The Malibu Coast AVA has grown in the Malibu Coast as far back as 1824, when the first documented vineyard was planted. The first modern day vineyard was planted in 1985. Today the appellation is home to about only a few hundred acres are planted to vine, with Cabernet Sauvignon, Syrah and Chardonnay making up Malibu Coast's most talked-about wines. 

Malibu-Newton Canyon AVA

The Malibu-Newton Canyon AVA was established on 12 June 1996 and is in Los Angeles County. The boundaries of the AVA include Newton Canyon, located about 4 miles from the Pacific Ocean within the city limits of Malibu.  Malibu-Newton Canyon AVA is a tiny AVA nestled in the Santa Monica Mountains halfway between Los Angeles and Oxnard in Ventura County, California.

The canyon varies in elevation from 1,400 feet to 2,800 feet above sea level. Coastal fog and wind can influence the microclimate of the canyon, providing a cooler climate than the surrounding areas.

The basin shape of the canyon is what distinguishes Malibu-Newton Canyon from the surrounding areas. The ridges that surround the canyon are high enough to protect the vineyards from the most extreme maritime influences, meaning that temperatures here fluctuate more than in the lower-lying areas which are moderated by the ocean.

However, the ridges are still low enough to allow lighter mists and ocean breezes into the valley in the evenings. Warm sunshine during the day is followed by colder evenings, which extends the ripening period, leading to balanced grapes with good levels of ripeness and acidity.

Soils in Malibu-Newton Canyon are generally made of silty loam with deposits of crushed rock that originated from the construction of a road tunnel in the area. These dry soils have good drainage capabilities and stress vines enough to reduce both vigor and yield, concentrating sugars and acids in the grapes, leading to rich wines with good concentration of flavor.

After early vineyards in the area disappeared due to Prohibition, the valley was not re-planted with vines until 1987.  Vines now being grown here are mostly of Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot and Chardonnay grape varieties. Also grown are smaller amounts of Cabernet Franc, Petit Verdot, and Viognier.

Ramona Valley AVA

The Ramona Valley AVA is located 28 miles northeast of the city of San Diego in San Diego County, centered on the community of Ramona. It was designated as an AVA on 6 December 2005 in recognition of its distinctive microclimate, elevation, and soil attributes. 

Located within the large multi-county South Coast AVA, Ramona Valley is in the larger San Diego County AVA in Southern California and approximately 89,000 acres in area.  It is 14.5 miles long and 9.5 miles wide.

The AVA covers an area surrounding the town of Ramona, 36 miles north-east of the city of San Diego. Geographically, the Ramona Valley is described as being a broad, flat valley ringed by hills and mountains that isolate it from the surrounding areas. The valley has an average vineyard elevation of 1,400 feet and an annual average rainfall of 16.5 inches.

The climate in Ramona Valley is hot and dry, and its equidistance from the Pacific Ocean in the west and the Colorado Desert in the east means it feels climatic effects from both. The Pacific Ocean, 25 miles away, offers up morning fog and afternoon breezes, meaning that the temperatures at night are much lower than during the day.

This diurnal temperature shift is exacerbated by both the proximity of the desert and the altitude of the area. The overnight cooling of the grapes slows the ripening process, letting them develop complex flavors while retaining acidity.

The well-drained soils are predominantly made up of decomposed granite and red clay, perfect for the development of concentrated fruit. Less water in the ground means the vines will put more energy into the production of fruit, rather than foliage. The resultant wines have a more intense, concentrated flavor.

The wider San Diego County was home to some of the first grapes in California, planted here in the late 1700s at the state's first Catholic mission. However, the modern winemaking industry in Ramona didn't really take off until the 1990s, when pioneering vignerons began to explore the potential of the area.

They produce a range of mostly red wines such as Cabernet Sauvignon, Petite Sirah, Tempranillo, Syrah, Barbera and Zinfandel, with some whites made from Viognier, Marsanne and Roussanne, Sauvignon Blanc and Muscat Canelli (Muscat Blanc a Petits Grains).

Palos Verdes Peninsula AVA

On June 16, 2021, the Palos Verdes Peninsula AVA was formally established.  The Palos Verdes Peninsula area, located in the southwestern corner of Los Angeles County, hugs the Pacific Ocean coastline about 25 miles west of downtown Los Angeles.

The region includes the cities of Palos Verdes Estates, Rolling Hills Estates, Rancho Palos Verdes, and Rolling Hills, California.  The area is highly regarded for its sweeping views of the ocean and the Los Angeles city skyline, gated communities, and high-dollar homes.  However, the area has a long history of agriculture, including some viticulture, and wine continues to be produced in the area.

The area within the Palos Verdes Peninsula AVA consists of low rolling hills (technically part of the Coast Range) situated between the Los Angeles Basin and the Pacific Ocean. Elevations range from sea level (on the region’s western and southern edges) to 1,460 feet above sea level at San Pedro Hill. Many of the region’s vineyards are planted on moderate south- or southeast-facing slopes. 

Like many areas of Southern California, the Palos Verdes Peninsula AVA has an overall Mediterranean Climate coupled with the coastal influence of the nearby Pacific Ocean. The area typically experiences warm, dry summers (temperatures rarely exceed 84°F) and mild winters with limited rainfall.

The soils of the region include Altamont Clay Adobe, Altamont Clay Loam, and Diablo Clay Adobe. These soils are composed primarily of fine-grained sandstone, weathered shale, silt, and calcareous clay.  These soils retain allow for moisture retention in dry weather while allowing for drainage during rainy times.

The Palos Verdes Peninsula AVA includes a total of 15,900 acres; of these, just over 7 acres are currently planted to vines. The leading grape varieties include Pinot Noir, Chardonnay, Cabernet Sauvignon, and Merlot.

Saddle Rock-Malibu AVA

Established on 16 July 2006 the Saddle Rock-Malibu AVA is up in the Santa Monica Mountains, within western Los Angeles County.  The region was once part of the 200,000 acres Saddle Rock Ranch.  The AVA covers 2090 acres in a valley just five miles from the Pacific Coast, where the Santa Monica Mountains jut straight up from the coastline. Ventura County is three miles to the west, and downtown Los Angeles is 30 miles away.

The vineyards of Saddle Rock Malibu can be found at altitudes of up to 2000 feet above sea level, planted on sunny, south-facing slopes. The location is important, because the daytime heat is countered by much colder evenings, when the grapes have a chance to cool off. This extends the growing season, allowing the berries to develop rich varietal character while retaining balance and acidity.

Stony, mountainous soils on the steep slopes are ideal for the production of quality grapes. Low in nutrients and free draining, these soils make the vines struggle to survive. The stressed plants produce lower yields of fruit, with greater flavor concentration.

While the name Malibu is more synonymous with white, sandy beaches and movie stars, it is now beginning to attract attention for rich, earthy red wines made from Cabernet Sauvignon, Syrah and Merlot. White wine grape varieties such as Sauvignon Blanc and Viognier are also grown. Commercial viticulture did not take off here until the 1990s.

San Pasqual Valley AVA

Formally established on 22 September 1981, the San Pasqual Valley AVA is in northern San Diego County. It is located in the San Pasqual Valley of the Peninsular Ranges, in Southern California.  The AVA is defined roughly to include both coasts of San Dieguito River on the east side of I-15, between San Diego and Escondido, up to an elevation of 500 feet.  San Pasqual Valley AVA is encroached on by the cities of San Diego, Poway, and Escondido, resulting in relatively high land values but limited viticultural potential.

Located in a thin valley that runs inland from the city of Escondido, the wine region lies at a latitude of 33°N. This is further south than any European wine region, and is closer to the position of northern Morocco.  The climate in this appellation is desert-like but tempered by cool breezes from the Pacific Ocean, with long growing seasons (average temperatures above 50 °F year-round), warm winters with nighttime lows rarely dipping below 35 °F, and summers with daily highs rarely exceeding 95 °F.

The Pacific Ocean, 18 miles away, contributes cooling breezes to the San Pasqual Valley that increase its suitability for viticulture. These sweep into the vineyards in the afternoons, offering respite for the grapes after the intense morning sunlight. Colder nights extend the growing season, leading to the development of aromatics and varietal character in the grapes without sacrificing acidity.

The AVA has well-drained, granitic soils that lend themselves to the production of healthy vines. The low water content in the soil causes the vines to grow deep root systems to reach supplies lower in the ground, and grapes from this area are able to retain their colors and balanced acidity.

The San Pasqual Valley AVA is planted with a wide range of grape varietals with Grenache, Merlot, Sangiovese, Syrah, Tempranillo, Mourvedre and Viognier being some of the most widely planted. 

Sierra Pelona Valley AVA

Established on 21 July 2010 the Sierra Pelona Valley AVA is in a valley of the Sierra Pelona Mountains, located in northwestern Los Angeles County.  The valley is a part of the High Desert region on the southwestern edge of the Antelope Valley and Mojave Desert. The AVA is northwest of Metropolitan Los Angeles in Southern California.

The Sierra Pelona Valley AVA covers 10 square miles and counts among its neighbors Antelope Valley of the California High Desert and Tehachapi-Cummings Valley.  The Sierra Pelona Valley AVA is located at the heart of the Sierra Pelona Mountains, the range which runs from west to east between Los Angeles and the Mojave Desert.

With peaks rising up to almost 5800 feet, the Sierra Pelona form a substantial geological barrier between the ocean-cooled, low-lying Los Angeles Basin and the hot, dry elevations of the California High Desert. This fact is crucial to the local climate and viticultural conditions.   The appellation's altitude ranges from 2,400 feet to 3,400 feet above sea level.

Bisecting the ranges is the Santa Clara river, one of the largest river systems in southern California. The river valley plays a significant role in the Sierra Pelona topography by connecting the mountains to the Pacific coast (the river meets the ocean at Pierpoint Bay, Oxnard).

The resulting valley topography serves to funnel cool oceanic winds inland and up into the mountains, cooling as they go. What little moisture they carry this far inland (60 miles) will fall in the local valleys to be returned to the ocean via the Santa Clara river.

The Sierra Pelona Valley features a diurnal temperature variation of 40 to 50 °F, and annual rainfall of less than 12 inches, most of which is concentrated in the winter. Additionally, air movement along the valley helps to reduce the risk of frost, leaf fungus, and insect pests.

The soil is primarily alluvial, well-drained, and up to 60 inches deep.

Thanks to the sunny, breezy climate in Sierra Pelona Valley, vineyard management is a relatively stress-free enterprise. Warm winds keep the local vineyards warm and dry, tempering the risk of fungal diseases. The destructive phylloxera mite, which is known to dislike sandy soils, is rarely seen here.

Wineries here tend to plant a wide selection of varieties in their vineyards. Red wine grapes include Syrah, Zinfandel, Tempranillo, Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot and Malbec whilst the white include Chardonnay, Viognier and Muscat.

South Coast AVA

Established on 20 November 1985, the South Coast AVA encompasses grape-growing regions in three counties of Southern California: Orange, Riverside, and San Diego.  This appellation includes a few smaller sub-appellations that all share the common ecology trait of having warm weather moderated by cooling coastal influences from the Pacific Ocean. Specifically: Ramona Valley AVA, San Pasqual Valley AVA and Temecula Valley AVA.

The Pacific Ocean provides some cooling influences to this hot, dry part of California, and viticulture on the South Coast does not usually reach further inland than where the ocean breezes do.  As a notable exception: Temecula Valley relies on altitude rather than ocean as a temperature modifier.

There is an array of different soil types in the South Coast AVA. The mountains in the northern part have rocky shale soils, while the mountains closer to the Mexican border are more granitic.

Sand is the most common soil type in the lower-lying AVAs. The commonality that these soils have is their excellent drainage, allowing viticulturists to carefully control how much water the vines get during the growing season with irrigation.

Today, many high-quality wines made from Cabernet Sauvignon, Syrah and Chardonnay are produced in the region. However, it is Zinfandel that thrives here, producing dense, brambly red wines from some very old vines.

Tehachapi Mountains AVA

Established on 18 November 2020 the Tehachapi-Cummings Valley AVA, is located in the south of California's Kern County.  The valley is closer to the sands of the Mojave Desert than the waves of the Pacific Ocean, but the Tehachapi Mountains which form its eastern side protect it from the hot, dry desert winds.  Just across these mountains is the Antelope Valley of the California High Desert AVA, which straddles the border between Kern and Los Angeles counties.

The hot, dry terroir here is well-suited to Zinfandel with producers marketing the rich, ripe red wines as an excellent match for locally produced meat of which is also in ample supply.  The center of the valley lies 75 miles from the Pacific Coast; it is therefore deprived of the cooling ocean breezes so beneficial to California's coastal AVAs.

The wider Tehachapi area is famous for its four-season climate, which brings summer highs of 104°F and winter lows of -5°F.  Due to the valley's inland location and the resulting continental climate, it is subject to pronounced diurnal temperature variation and seasonal changes.

Precipitation is also highly variable here: the wettest year on record is 1983, with 28 inches of rain, and 1989 brought just 4.3 inches.

Zinfandel is currently the main varietal grown in the Tehachapi Mountains AVA.

Temecula Valley AVA

Established on 22 October 1984, the Temecula Valley AVA is in the Temecula Valley, located in southwestern Riverside County.  The official area for the Temecula Valley AVA at 33,000 acres.

The Temecula Valley is located more than 300 miles south of Napa, resulting in a slightly higher angle to the sun and greater solar intensity. A look at the native chaparral shows that Temecula is in a relatively low rainfall region. These two factors contribute to an early growing season that generally runs from March through September. Rains, however, rarely interrupt the harvest season, an important factor in wine quality. Extensive research has shown that the Temecula Valley is ideal for growing high-quality wine grapes as mist often lingers until mid-morning on the 1,400-foot plateau, located below the peaks of the local mountain ranges.

Significant cooling factors affect the flavor development of the grapes. As the sun warms the inland valleys east of Temecula, the air rises, forming a low-pressure area. The colder, much heavier air from the Pacific Ocean, just 22 miles from Temecula, is then drawn inland. The coastal mountain range allows the colder air to pass inland through gaps and low spots. The Rainbow Gap and the Temecula Gorge are two of these low places in the mountains, and just beyond them lay the Temecula Valley. The cool air flowing inland moderates the daytime temperatures and helps to create a pattern of warm sunny days and cool nights, ideal conditions for the best wine grapes.

Another meteorological factor affecting the valley's climate is the "lapse rate." It involves the altitude of the vineyard land and the height of the surrounding mountains. Temecula vineyards are located approximately 1,200 feet to 1,600 feet above sea level. The surrounding mountains average 2,000 feet to nearly 11,000 feet elevation. These high elevations mean cooler air, a temperature drop of 3 °F for every 1,000 feet of altitude gain. The heavy cold air that collects between the high peaks during the night drains off the heights much like water, joining cold moist air from the Santa Margarita River, creating a double cooling effect. As a result, nighttime lows in and around Temecula are very cool. The cool nighttime temperatures are critical in developing high-quality grapes.

Temecula Valley soils are another significant influence on wine quality. The soils are created from decomposing granitic materials and are excellent for growing high-quality grapes. Grapevines require well-drained soils with roots that are not constantly wet. The granitic soils permit the water to drain through quite easily. Granitic soils, which are a light sandy loam, contribute to clean, pure varietal flavors without odd or herbaceous flavors that wetter soil may create.

Since 1966, wine grapes have been grown in the area. In addition to growing Chardonnay, Merlot, and Sauvignon Blanc, recently, wineries have begun growing Viognier, Syrah, and Pinot Gris. The Temecula Valley's warmer climate is particularly well-suited to Rhône varieties, as well as Cabernet Sauvignon, and Zinfandel. The region is less well-suited to growing cooler-climate varieties like Pinot Noir.

Temecula Valley Tempranillo wines are notable for their complex aromas of plums and berries. Sangiovese wines from the AVA boast fat, ripe tannins and flavors decidedly riper than their Italian counterparts. Syrah has recently won the region many accolades for its round, fleshy style and generous, full flavors. Cabernet Franc has emerged as the star of the Bordeaux varieties and is fast earning a reputation for producing elegant, aromatic styles full of complex flavors.